


Cold Shot

by WetSammyWinchester



Series: Saudade [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Bars and Pubs, Dean needs to just get in the car and drive, Emotional Hurt, Gen, POV Dean Winchester, Pre-Season/Series 01, Stanford Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2019-03-14 17:36:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13595004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WetSammyWinchester/pseuds/WetSammyWinchester
Summary: “I'm celebrating tonight.” He drained the last bit from his glass and wiped his lips. “Isn't every day you get your GED.”





	Cold Shot

Dean dropped his head down on his arm. The jukebox was warm beneath him and its flashing lights pulsed through his closed eyelids while Stevie Ray sang.

Blues weren't typically his favorite but sometimes nothing helped but to hear someone else's pain.

“Hey, sugar, you picking a song or falling asleep?” 

He looked up to see a waitress cocking an eyebrow at him, pencil behind her ear and tray in her hand.

“Why don't you set me up with another one, sweetheart.” He dragged the empty whiskey glass off the top of the Wurlitzer.

“You sure about that, hon? You're looking a little rough.”

“I'm celebrating tonight.” He drained the last bit from his glass and wiped his lips. “Isn't every day you get your GED.”

“Well, that is good news.” She glanced around the dark empty bar before looking back with a crinkle between her eyebrows. “Tell you what, next one’s on the house.”

He saluted her with the glass as she walked away and Stevie Ray’s guitar solo came to an end. There was a pause before the opening chords to Zeppelin’s _Fool In The Rain_ played and Dean reconsidered the choices he made with his last six quarters.

By the time she sauntered back over with his drink, Dean was slouched down at a table, muscles loose and tired like he’d run five miles. But whiskey didn’t cover the hole that was scraped raw in his chest that showed no signs of healing despite the months that passed. Getting his GED was just another thing to do, to keep his mind off the quiet moments between hunts. 

He was surprised when the waitress dropped into the chair across from him. She scooted the chair closer to Dean and leaned in, biting at the lipstick on her bottom lip. “How long you in town for?”

His shrug was small inside his big leather coat. “I've stayed too long already. Probably head out in the morning.” 

“Huh. Where ya heading?”

He sat up in the chair, spinning the whiskey glass between his thumbs as a smile stole across his face. “I'm thinking about heading out to California.”

The corners of her mouth turned down. Maybe it was mention of the state itself or the idea of someone else getting the hell out of this small town before she did. “What's in California?”

His mouth opened and shut, and he swallowed down his first answer, licking his lips instead. “My brother. He-- He goes to Stanford.”

“Smart kid. You must be proud.”

“He is smart. Got a few things I want to tell him.” Dean’s smile cracked open wide before he downed the last of the whiskey. “Besides who wouldn’t want to go hang out in the sun? Maybe sit on the beach.”

A buzz sounded and Dean pulled his cell phone out, blearily checking the screen but it was the wrong three letters. _DAD_. 

“I gotta go.” 

The waitress looked like she was going to protest as he got up, alert as if a cold shot hit him. Dean threaded through the empty chairs toward the entrance as he flipped open the phone.

“Yes, sir. I’m here.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [alulaspeaks](http://archiveofourown.org/users/AlulaSpeaks/pseuds/AlulaSpeaks) for the quick beta! Written for [the Winchester Angst Club](http://winchesterangstclub.tumblr.com/) on tumblr. I can't help but wallow in pre-series Sam and Dean angst. It's a problem. If it's your problem too, [come join me there](http://winchesterangstclub.tumblr.com/tagged/by-paula).


End file.
